Archive for ‘Movies’

Looking back on science fiction movies can be hard sometimes. Unfortunately, many science fiction movies don’t age well, especially a lot of the sci fi movies from the 80’s.

However, their are also a TON of great movies from the 1980’s too. 1982 was a peculiarly and particularly good year for science fiction movies. Many of these sci-fi movies have become classics and cult classics.

So without further ado, here are seven (7) great science fiction films from 1982.

1) Blade Runner:
This movie seems to age better and better with every day. In many ways Ridley Scott’s epic tale of the future based on Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep by Phillip K. Dick, defined intelligent, 1980’s science fiction. The performances of Harrison Ford, Sean Young, Rutger Hauer and Darryl Hannah were incredible and the art direction and moodiness of this movie leave you with a very realistic feel for this industrial, cold future.
Blade Runner will be discussed and debated for many years to come–every version of it.

2) The Masters of Time:
Rene Laloux is the master of bizarre and fantastic, though provoking science fiction cartoons. He teams up with comic book legend and Heavy Metal Magazine superstar, Moebius to dish out a time bending tale of outer space travel, love, heroism, sacrifice and the proverbial philosophical questions of existence. It’s a great cartoon with some creepy villains and some serious time travel twists and turns. It’s a good trip.

3) The Thing:
John Carpenter’s The Thing was a scary movie to watch as a kid in the 80’s. It defines the horror science fiction genre with it’s nasty evil blood curdling alien rampage. Kurt Russel, Keith David, Wlifred Brimley and an all star cast of cinema veterans make this movie stand the test of time. This is one of the best sci-fi movies ever and in my opinion, certainly didn’t need a remake. The special effects of the time were cutting edge and have aged some but it doesn’t take away the awesomeness of this movie.

4) Swamp Thing:
Campy? Yes. BUT there is something so awesome about this Swamp Thing movie that makes the cheesiness lovable. The sad story of humanitarian scientist Doctor Alec Holland is a wonderful modern tale of Beauty and the Beast. Based on the popular DC comics character, Swamp Thing is an awesome 1980’s sci-fi movie that pays homage to those great creature feature science fiction films of the 1950’s. But those movies didn’t have Adrianne Barbeau, monsters and midget pigs.

5) Tron:
Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxlightner. Two men that had no idea at the time they’d be a part of the revolutionary computer world that would go on to be such a classic, that finally gave birth to a sequel nostalgia twenty years later. Tron was groundbreaking science fiction movie in it’s design and imagining of the video game age that was still very new at the time the movie was made. To me it will always feel like a living Atari game and it will no doubt continue to live on. Great sci-fi movie and still visually impressive after all of these years.

6) Star Trek II – The Wrath of Khan
The best Star Trek movie EVER! KHAAAAAAN! It was juicy in plot, secrets and death. In this movie we saw the return of arch-villain Khan, the torturing of Chekov by an alien ear parasite, the reveal of Kirk’s illegitimate son and ultimately his death and the biggest kick to the nuts–the death of Mr. Spock. Bust on Shatner all you want but he was top notch in this movie. As far as science fiction movies go, this one had it it all as well as the crowning achievement in the Star Trek movie franchise by far.

7) Zapped:
Goofy comedy, sex, science fiction and high school nerds…how does that sound for an ass kicking combo? And an ass kicking science fiction comedy, this movie was. Zapped was great with Scott Baio and Willie Aames as two teenage dweebs trying to make it out of high school alive is a wonderful start for a movie. But it gets crazy when Baio’s nerdy character, Barney accidentally creates a formula that gives him telekinetic magic powers. No bra or panties are safe! Zapped is a great sci-fi goof-fest with an 80’s flavor that make sit even better now than in 82.

So you think you’re a NERD. Not the kind of nerd that would hang out with Lamar and Booger and the other Tri-Lams–BUT a REAL Sci-Fi NERD. Whell let’s just how how nerdy you really are. Below is a little checklist of 20 Things Every Sci-Fi Nerd Should Own To Earn, physically as well as emotionally. If you “own” at least twelve of these twenty things, you are entitled to your SCI-FI Nerd Badge.

My name is Hal Hefner, I am a Sci-Fi nerd. I create Sci-Fi nerd dreams with my comic Gates, the flagship product of an epic science fiction franchise. How nerdy are you?

Go for it. I dare ya…

1) Conan The Barbarian Soundtrack:
If you are a fan of the movie, Conan the Barbarian then you know how awesome the soundtrack is as well. Great music by Basil Poledouris set the tone of the movie and is an epic score to kick ass to.

2) Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep:
This is the book by Phillip K. Dick that inspired Ridley Scott’s Bladerunner. It’s good, real good and in fills in lots of holes in the movie and also gives you a different twist on it. Great, easy read even for you folks out there who haven’t read a book since college.

3) The Twilight Zone Collection:
The Twilight Zone is one of if not the greatest TV show ever. For any aspiring Sci-Fi geek and or creator, it is essential guide to storytelling, RIP Rod Serling, a genius way ahead of his time.

4) The Original Star Wars Trilogy – WITHOUT ANY ADDED CRAP
We didn’t need Boba Fett and Jabba to show up in the a New Hope. We didn’t need anymore crappy creatures that added no value and we all certainly know: HAN SHOT FIRST.

5) A Profound Hatred for Star Trek Enterprise:
Need I say more? Okay, I will. Brannon Braga’s take on the Star Trek universe was crap.

6) The Lord of The Rings Extended Edition, The Soundtracks and all of the books;
You’ve gotta own it all. Own it. Live it. Love it.

7) A Profound Sadness for the Way Battlestar Galactica Ended:
There’s a lot of us that feel we got hosed with that ending. I can still hear Jim Hendrix’s, All Along the Watchtower playing in my head and I’m thinking WTF is this?

8 ) A Passionately Favorite Version of the REAL Doctor Who:
Tom Baker. Period. And I will gladly meet you in an alley to fight about it.9) A Fear That Will Smith Will Someday Star in The Movie Adaptation of Your Favorite Book:
Every character is the same, that wise cracking boy from Philadelphia living with his cousin Carlton and Uncle Phil.

10) Toys from Your Childhood That You Refuse To Part With:
I still have my original Kermit the Frog from when I was three and my first Boba Fett. Trump that.

11) The Belief that the Word Midichlorian Was Just from a Nightmare and NOT a real Star Wars Movie:
This is just a dream. Metachlorians are not real. Seriously. It’s just a bad joke and it will be over when I wake up. AHHHHHHHH!!!!!

12) The Original Tron Movie:
You own it. You love it. It loves you.

13) An affection for the TV show Firefly:
Every Sci-Fi nerd loves this show. If you don’t you are a loser.

14) A Hatred for Chris O’Donnell:
As Robin, he was the harbinger of death for the original Batman movie franchise.

15) You Know Asimov’s Three Laws of Robotics:Learn it now if you don’t know it.

16) You think Cheetara is HOT!
The star of two version of Thundercats cartoons was also the star of your wet dream. Admit it, you’d love to let her claw your back and bite your neck. GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR

17) You Believe Aliens are our REAL Gods:
If you read enough science fiction, and of the right kind, all of those books questioning are existence in the universe, finally open up some possibilities for you. BUT depending on where you live, who your parents are and who you are sleeping with, you may not admit this in public.

18) You Have a Favorite Animated Cult Sci-Fi Movie:
There are so many to pick from. Many will choose Heavy Metal.

19) You Blame Hot Rod for Optimus Prime’s Death:
Well, it was his fault. And after Optimus rose form the grave Rodimus got hosed. AND DESERVEDLY SO!

20) You DESPISE Michael Bay for Masturbating on your Childhood.
The king of explosions, inexplicably keeps making million dollar movies and in the process he has destroyed the Transformers and has now decided to shit on the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles by making the aliens in his new adaptation. Someone needs to destroy the people at Paramount for allowing him to live. Michael Bay is the fucking anti-Christ.